This calculator will allow you to find the true cost of owning a car in the United States. It will normally give you a good estimate of what you really need to spend on car ownership. As car payments and expenses come due throughout the year, it's often difficult to really get a good understanding of total spending on your car. Be realistic on the values you input. For unexpected expenses, such as accident repairs or fines, think about how much you have spent on such items over the last few years. By default, these values are calculated on a monthly basis. Use the the dot symbol for decimal notation, for example 8.7 kilometres between home and the workplace.